Log splitter

Claim 2

A log splitter comprising a frame member having a boxlike construction with an elongated aperture in the top thereof, a pair of blade means one permanently positioned at each end of said frame member, adjustable table means positioned between said pair of blade means and supported on said frame member selectably supporting a log relative to the pair of blade means, ram means slidably mounted within said elongated aperture of said frame member, and hydraulic cylinder means attached to said ram means to drive said ram means against one said blade means under expansion conditions and against the other said blade means under contraction conditions.

Claim 3

The log splitter according to claim 1 wherein the frame member is slidably mounted on a second frame member and a second hydraulic cylinder means is arranged to move the frame member along a distance upon expansion and contraction.

Claim 4

The log splitter according to claim 1 wherein the pair of blade means further comprise horizontal and vertical components whereby a log is split into four individual sections.

Claim 5

The log splitter according to claim 3 wherein each of the horizontal and vertical components include a portion thereof removed from and ahead of the remainder of the respective component.

Claim 6

The log splitter according to claim 1 wherein the adjustable table means comprises a pair of wing means, one edge of each said pair of wing means being hingedly connected to said frame member adjacent to said elongated aperture and the other edge of each said pair of wing means having a hydraulic cylinder means permanently positioned between the wing means and the frame member whereby the pair of wing means may be selectively positioned relative to the frame member.

Claim 7

The log splitter according to claim 5 wherein the said adjustable table includes a self-loading log means integral therewith.

Claim 8

The log splitter according to claim 1 wherein the ram means includes a hollow cylindrical pusher for contacting the cross section of a log at a plurality of points to thereby be self balancing.

Claim 9

The log splitter according to claim 1 wherein said hydraulic cylinder means is attached to said ram means by a linkage means extending through the elongated aperture in said frame member.

Claim 10

A log splitter comprising a first frame member having a box-like construction, said first frame member having an elongated aperture therein, said first frame member slidably mounted on a second frame member, a first four-way blade means mounted at one end of said first frame member and said elongated aperture, a second four-way blade means mounted at another end of said first frame member and said elongated aperture most remote from said first four-way blade means and generally parallel to said first four-way blade means, adjustable table means positioned between said first and second four-way blade means, said adjustable table means having a pair of wing means hingedly connected to said first frame member one on each side of said elongated aperture, ram means slidably positioned within said elongated aperture and extending to the center of the first and second four-way blade means, first hydraulic cylinder means mounted on said first frame member for selectively positioning the pair of wing means, second hydraulic cylinder means mounted on said first frame member and connected to said ram means for moving said ram means along the elongated aperture between the first and second four-way blade means, and third hydraulic cylinder means mounted on said second frame member for moving said first frame member relative to said second frame member.

Claim 11

A log splitter comprising a first frame member having a box-like construction, said first frame member having an elongated aperture therein, said first frame member slidably mounted on a second frame member, a first four-way blade means mounted at one end of said first frame member and said elongated aperture, a second four-way blade means mounted at another end of said first frame member and said elongated aperture most remote from said first four-way blade means and generally parallel to said first four-way blade means, adjustable table means positioned between said first and second four-way blade means, said adjustable table means having a pair of wing means hingedly connected to said first frame member one on each side of said elongated aperture, ram means slidably positioned within said elongated aperture and extending to the center of the first and second four-way blade means, first hydraulic cylinder means mounted on said first frame member for selectively positioning the pair of wing means, second hydraulic cylinder means mounted on said first frame member and connected to said ram means for moving said ram means along the elongated aperture between the first and second four-way blade means, and third hydraulic cylinder means mounted on said second frame member for moving said first frame member relative to said second frame member.

Claim 12

The log splitter according to claim 9 wherein the adjustable table means includes a pair of finger means spring biased thereon for automatically picking up a log and depositing the same onto the adjustable table means.

Claim 15

A process for splitting logs including a log splitter, an input conveyor and an output conveyor comprising delivering logs to the log splitter by means of the input conveyor, automatically lifting a log from the input conveyor to the log splitter, positioning the log within the log splitter at the center of a pair of stationary four-way splitting blades one at each end of the log splitter, forcing the log through one of the pair of stationary four-way splitting blades by means of a hydraulic cylinder during the expansion stroke of the hydraulic cylinder, dropping the split log out one end of the log splitter from the one stationary four-way splitting blade onto the output conveyor to be carried away, lifting another log from the input conveyor to the log splitter, positioning the log within the log splitter at the center of the pair of stationary four-way splitting blades, forcing the log through the other of the pair of four-way splitting blades by means of the hydraulic cylinder during the return, contraction stroke of the hydraulic cylinder, and dropping the split log out the other end of the log splitter from the other stationary four-way blade onto the output conveyor to be carried away.

Claim 16

A process for splitting logs including a log splitter, an input conveyor and an output conveyor comprising delivering logs to the log splitter by means of the input conveyor, automatically lifting a log from the input conveyor to the log splitter, positioning the log within the log splitter at the center of a pair of stationary four-way splitting blades one at each end of the log splitter, forcing the log through one of the pair of stationary four-way splitting blades by means of a hydraulic cylinder during the expansion stroke of the hydraulic cylinder, dropping the split log out one end of the log splitter from the one stationary four-way splitting blade onto the output conveyor to be carried away, lifting another log from the input conveyor to the log splitter, positioning the log within the log splitter at the center of the pair of stationary four-way splitting blades, forcing the log through the other of the pair of four-way splitting blades by means of the hydraulic cylinder during the return, contraction stroke of the hydraulic cylinder, and dropping the split log out the other end of the log splitter from the other stationary four-way blade onto the output conveyor to be carried away.